SOIL MOISTURE TRANSFER IN VAPOR PHASE UPON FREEZING
Alfreds Richards Jumikis · Highway Research Record · 1957
IN THIS STUDY THE VALIDITY OF THE ASSUMPTION SERVING AS A BASIS FOR THE SOIL FREEZING EXPERIMENT IS EXAMINED, NAMELY, THAT THE UPWARD FLOW OF SOIL MOISTURE FROM GROUNDWATER TOWARD THE FREEZING ICE LENSES TAKES PLACE VIRTUALLY UNACCOMPANIED BY VAPOR DIFFUSION. TWO CASES WERE STUDIED: (1) UPWARD DIFFUSION OF VAPOR TO AIR (VOIDS IN SOIL NOT FILLED WITH WATER), AND (2) UPWARD DIFFUSION OF VAPOR THROUGH WATER (SOIL VOIDS FILLED WITH WATER). THE STUDY REVEALS THAT UPON FREEZING THE AMOUNTS OF SOIL MOISTURE TRANSFERRED IN THE VAPOR PHASE ARE SMALL. THEREFORE THE MECHANISM OF VAPOR DIFFUSION IN THE SOIL FREEZING EXPERIMENT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS BEING OF LITTLE SIGNIFICANCE. /AUTHOR/